Gulfshore Business Daily: July 23, 2018

Golisano Children's Hospital is named among most beautiful hospitals, a culinary boot camp readies high school students, new hires and board members are announced and more.

By Staff

Juliana Metzner has joined Pushing the Envelope Inc.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT PROGRAM SCHEDULED

Dress for Success SW Florida will host the Entrepreneurial Spirit Program (E$P) from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 11 at Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Co., P.A. (MNMW) in Fort Myers. The E$P Dream Team speakers include Angela Cooley, partner at MNMW, who will discuss business accounting; Christina Harris Schwinn, partner at Pavese Law Firm, who will discuss legal documentation and incorporation; Barbara Melvin, vice president and community lender at First Florida Integrity Bank, who will discuss small business lending and SBA loans; and Connie Ramos-Williams, president and chief marketing officer of CONRIC PR & Marketing, who will discuss new business branding and marketing. All attendees will receive a certification of completion. A suggested donation of $25 for Dress for Success includes continental breakfast and lunch. Limited seating is available and reservations are required. For more information, call (239) 689-4992.

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE HIRES METZNER

Pushing the Envelope Inc. has welcomed Juliana Metzner as communication coordinator. In her role as a communication coordinator, Metzner will be responsible for executing public relations services for the company’s varied clientele, including publicity and media relations, social media strategy and management, online reputation management, and email marketing. Metzner comes with years of experience in marketing and communication for companies including FHR Property Management and Shell Point Retirement Community. She received her master’s degree in communication from Southern New Hampshire University and a bachelor’s degree in communication from Florida Gulf Coast University.

GOLISANO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL NAMED AMONG MOST BEAUTIFUL IN U.S.

Soliant, a leading specialty health care staffing provider and part of the Adecco Group, has named Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida as Soliant’s Most Beautiful Hospital in the U.S. for 2018. Golisano Children’s Hospital was selected as the 2018 winner after more than 250,000 votes were cast nationally. The hospital treats more than 25,000 patients annually and is the only accredited children’s hospital between Tampa and Miami. Golisano Children’s Hospital opened its new facility in 2017 and currently contains 128 patient beds in rooms designed to help patients and their families feel at home. The hospital is planning a public party in its Cohen Family Garden to celebrate the recognition. Joining HealthPark Medical Center, and Gulf Coast Medical Center, Golisano Children’s Hospital is the third Lee Health hospital ever recognized as one of Soliant’s Top 20 Most Beautiful Hospitals in the U.S. For all the hospitals named to the 2018 list, click here.

CULINARY BOOT CAMP TRAINS STUDENTS

A new generation of up-and-coming chefs gained hands-on kitchen experience this summer at Bonita Bay Club’s Culinary Boot Camp. Under the guidance of Bonita Bay Club’s Director of Culinary Operations Chef Richard Culinary Boot Camp. Under the guidance of Bonita Bay Club’s Director of Culinary Operations Chef Richard Brumm, Culinary Boot Camp is in its third year of partnership with Estero High School’s Culinary Program and Chef Instructor Jeremy Jasper. Estero High School Culinary Program students Freddy Figueroa, Amy Hallifax, Kaitlyn Jacobson and Angel Jimenez were selected to participate in the intensive experience designed to deliver a snapshot of life as a professional culinarian. Over four six-hour days, Brumm and his team of sous chefs introduced students to practical kitchen management skills such as ordering, receiving and sanitation before progressing through sauce work, vegetable fabrication, garde manger and platter creation. Students also learned the basics of seafood, poultry and beef preparation. Culinary Boot Camp culminated with the club’s traditional Friday night buffet. After helping prepare a Creole-themed dinner for club members, students received a certificate of completion and a professional chef’s knife.

JDRF WELCOMES DOCTOR TO BOARD

JDRF, a global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, has appointed Dr. Leela Lavasani as a JDRF South Gulf Coast Chapter board member. Board members provide volunteer guidance to the chapter and the local T1D community, playing a role in executing fundraising, leadership and advocacy activities to benefit local families and the 1.25 million Americans who live with the autoimmune disease. Lavasani is a board-certified otolaryngologist, head and neck surgeon with Florida Gulf Coast Ear Nose and Throat. Originally from Minnesota, she attended college at Macalester College, followed by George Washington medical school in Washington D.C. She completed residency training at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and has lived in Naples for more than five years. Her practice primarily focuses on head and neck cancer patients, but she practices general ear, nose and throat medicine as well.

LAST HOME DEDICATED IN FINEMARK VILLAGE

Habitat for Humanity of Lee & Hendry Counties on July 13 unveiled the new FineMark Village neighborhood sign and celebrated the final home dedication in FineMark Village, a Habitat neighborhood consisting of 11 new homes. In 2015, Habitat acquired 11 home site parcels on Gladiolus; FineMark National Bank and Trust invested $250,000 to become the neighborhood sponsor allowing construction to begin on FineMark Village. The final home closing made for a total of 34 children in the community who have a new home. For more information, contact Matt Visaggio at (239) 246-8116 or MattV@Habitat4Humanity.org.

CHARITABLE NOTES

Renew Financial, the inventor of Property Assessed Clean Energy financing (PACE), has donated $25,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Lee & Hendry Counties. The donation will support Habitat for Humanity’s Disaster Recovery Program, the long-term solution to address damage caused by natural disasters in Lee and Hendry Counties. Shortly after Hurricane Irma, Renew Financial led several efforts to help Florida homeowners recover from the storm. These investments in Florida’s long-term recovery culminated in the check presentation to Habitat for Humanity in honor of every Florida home strengthened in partnership with RenewPACE. Last month marked the start of a new hurricane season for Florida, underscoring the ongoing need for storm-proofing and other upgrades that make homes more secure and comfortable.